Life's a Riddle
by darksidesparkles
Summary: Only three people in the world know Alexis Taylor's real lineage and that's her, her adopted muggle father,and Dumbledore. She has four successful years of lying low under her belt. Things are going well...until Potter claims that the Dark Lord is back.
1. Chapter 1

Life's a Riddle

Summary: Only three people in the world know Alexis Taylor's real lineage , and that's her, her adopted muggle father,and Dumbledore. She has four successful years of lying low under her belt. Things are going well...until loony Potter claims that the Dark Lord is back.

Chapter One: Back to School

" Alexis Riddle Taylor!" Called Dr. Taylor from the bottom of a rather ornate, barouqe-style staircase. He was a tall man, with large glasses that exaggerated his bright blue eyes and bulbous nose. He wore his usual red pinstipe suit and fedora. He looked down at his watch with a panic-stricken look. " Dear dear me, we shall be late, it's already 6:30! We'll miss our flight!"

Stomping down the stairs and nearly tripping over her her suitcases, Alexis descended the stairs. She was a short, petite girl with mounds of curly black hair. She glared at him with sleepy blue eyes. The teen already had changed into her Hogwarts robes that bore the symbol of Slytherin house, though they were untucked and messy.

" Dad, why must we live so far out in the country anyways? " She snapped.

" Watch your tone, lady. Besides, I'm a herpeologist. Best place for reptile study, don't you think? By the way, have your...well...special friends told you anything useful to me? You know I have that book on the_ Coronella austriaca_..."

_"_Dad. Train. Me. School. Fooo-aw-cus?" She said with a loud yawn. She rubbed her eyes and continued. " Besides, not a lot of them out this morning."

" Oh, yes of course. Of course. Off we go then!"

He grabbed her suitcases and lept out the front french doors. She shook her head and followed him out to his lime-green Mercedes.

...

The train whistle howled it's final warnings.

" Dad, really, I have to go now." She said urgently as he brusdhed invisible dirt form her now pristine robes.

He looked at her and stepped away, his large eyes teary. She blushed as big tears rolled down his bulbous nose. Did he have to do this in front of _everyone_? It was bad enough that all the others stared at him because of his eccentric muggle clothing.

" My grown-up girl." He sniffed and wiped his nose on his red sleeve. She braced herself for impact, and right on cue, he smothered her with a hug and multiple kisses. She gave him a tight squeeze and quickest peck on the cheek she could muster, very sure she heard someone sniggering behind her.

She (finally) boarded the train, but as she looked behind her, to her horror, her father shouted.

" I LOVE YOU, LITTLE EGG!"

Her tounge dried and her face felt like the top off an oven. She waved slightly and used the "I love you" in sign langauge to answer, then bolted inside.

" OOF!"

" Owuch!"

She bolted right into another student and onto the floor on top of him. She opened her eyes and saw a lightning bolt-shaped scar.

" Do you mind?"

She threw herself off as if he were on fire. Well, he couldn't have been on fire metaphorically as much as her reddened face was.

" Harry Potter, huh?"

" Yeah, so?"

She shrugged. " Just...never seen you up close." She pointed to her robe. " Slytherin. Usually cheering for you to fall off your broom. "

" Yeah, great thanks." he said without lack of sarcasm.

" Joke much? Gryffindors." She sneered with an annoyed eye-roll and carried on to her compartment. There she found the one person she could stand in the entire school. Well, tolerate to the extent of friendship.

"Naudia Welsha Slughorn." She announced.

The blonde, plain girl who had been previously reading looked up and smiled widely. " Oh! Alex! EE!" Again, Alexis braced herself for a tight hug. The much taller and wider girl lifted her up the ground in a remarkable hug.

" How grand! I had worried you'd gotten tied up somewhere else. Sad, really, me sittting here all alone, but I just can't abide all of these pure-blood snobs. Uncle Horace says I need to branch out from my small group of friends, but really, OH! Oh. I simply must show you this book. Muggle fairy tales. Perfectly dark some of these, but good lessons and positively stimulating! I can see why they are dark though, written by some German brothers called Grimm. Why, if my name were "grimm" I would write depressing yet fascinating stories to. Of course, my stories are much more adventerous and modern. Full of romance! Why in my latest addition, our heroine discovers a deadly secret...oh, look at me , rambling on and on. So, how was your summer dearie?"

" As per usual."

" Good, good! You...well...didn't do the thing I was advising against?"

" I did."

Naudia gasped loudly, causign heads to turn. She continued in a hushed whisper. "But you know they aren't allowed..."

" Like I said in the letter, this one is...well." Alex looked around and sighed. " I'll tell you later, but...let's just say he will prove quite useful."

" Oh, I see...I think." She titled her head to the side in though, and sprang into a one-sided conversation again. " Oh, and are you nervous about your OWLs? I am. Very much so. You know I want to become the Minister of Magic someday. Wouldn't that be grand! I was nearly a prefect this year, but _perfect Pansy_, got it first. I tell you she drives me bonkers. Just bonkers! Calls me a "Cow" and " Fatty". So unoriginal. If your going to hurt one's feelings you may as well try to be creative about it, but she hasn't got enough wit to ...well...measure up to something that doesn't have a lot of wit! that's what. Oh, a gnat! A gnat..."

" Hmm-mm. Yes, uh-huh." Alexis answered as she stared out the window as her friend blathered on. She didn't mind, Naudia couldn't survive if her mouth was not constantly running as much as her heart beat.

" ...really is a shame you were ill end of last year. Oh, poor cedric..."

" Cedric? Whose he?"

Naudia gasped again. " Oh I forgot! You don't have a subscription to the Prophet and no Owl, so you wouldn't know, would you? Oh dear, oh dear..."

" Know what? I know Cred...oh, whats-his-name. the hufflepuff kid, and that Potter boy were tied or something..."

" Cedric died." Naudia said grimly. The news made Alexis's stomach roll over. She had hoped he would win, and he once helped her find a book in the library when she was a first-year. It was very unfortunate.

" What happened?"

" It's...not clear. You see, the only person to see it happen was Potter. He said...and well, Dumbledore believes him..."

" Beileves what?"

Naudia leaned over and whispered. " Apparently, Cedric was murdered by You-Know-Who. And...well...You-Know-Who is back!"

Alexis paled and found herself wringing her hands. It couldn't be. He was dead, gone, out of her life. And...only one witness said differently.

" Then Mr. Potter is a complete and utter imbecile and a lunatic, that's what."


	2. Chapter 2: Old and New Pains

Life's a Riddle

Summary: Only three people in the world know Alexis Taylor's real lineage , and that's her, her adopted muggle father,and Dumbledore. She has four successful years of lying low under her belt. Things are going well...until loony Potter claims that the Dark Lord is back.

Author's note: Wow, two reviews already! YAY! Thanks so much for feedback Torchwood Boy and Rachel-rob-Sandwhich!

Chapter: Old and New Pains

By the time they arrived at the Great Hall, Naudia had informed Alexis that The daily Prophet and the Ministry of Magic itself believed Harry Potter was, Alexis said, really "Harry Nutter".

" Most everyone thinks he's lying. I don't think he's lying, per say. I think something snapped in his brain when Cedric snuffed it. He must have seen it and not been able to handle it and so his mind made up this fantastic fantasy to cope with the accident and make it a tradegy, so he would have someone to blame. It makes more sense for him to blame the person who he mysteriously defeated in the first place, that way he could feel more confident in defeating him a second time."

" Or he's an attention-seeking, panic-spreading totally bonkers crazy_ child. Or_ scientifically speaking, _Panicus Spreadicus Stupidus. " _Alexis sneered.

Naurdia frowned in confusion. Alexis shrugged. " Muggle stuff. Anyway, who cares about him, they'll throw in him into St . Mungo's sometime anyway. Oh, The first years are coming in. Finally, I'm ready to eat."

" What, your gonna eat the first years now?" Naudia giggled. " Careful, my little brother is being sorted today."

Alexis grinned. " Nah, too scrawny."

The Sorting hat sang it's song. It warned of danger and urged the houses to stay united. Naudia and Alexis exchanged glances before eyeing the Gryffindor table.

Alexis looked at Harry Potter and mouthed to Naudia. "_ As if._"

Finally, the Sorting started. After going on for an enternity, they finally reached Naudia's little brother. He was blonde, like her, but small for his age and shook violently as he sat on the stool, looking similar to a nervous chihuahua.

" hmm, Let's see now, Slughorn, eh...oh...I see...hmm, Better be...Hufflepuff!"

Naudia smiled and clapped loudly for him, while talking to Alexis. " I knew it. He is much too nice and sensitive to be in our house, and he isn't a genuis or stupid enough to be in gryffindor. Plus no one is as hard-working as know how terribly lazy I am, well, in some things."

Alexis nodded and clapped along with her. She preferred hufflepuffs to most every other kind of person, even in her own house. You could trust them, and they weren't known for bragging or rashness. They were just decent. She looked over at the table as the now excited boy took his seat.

Another boy, her year, clapped him on the back. She didn't recognize him, but he looked straight at her and smiled, and she found herself blushing. He had dark chocolate-brown eyes that seemed to shine, a square-jaw and high forehead topped with aubrun spiked hair. She smiled back, unaware of the dreamy look on her face.

" Crush much, Alex? " Naudia whispered as Alex pulled herself away from his wonderful face.

Alexis grinned. " More like an ambitious undertaking. What's his name anyway?

Naudia shrugged. " I guess that'll be your job to figure out, eh? "

Who cared about Harry Nutter anyway? He was wrong, and she was already formulating a perfect plan in her mind for the rest of the year , hopefully involving the good-looking Hufflepuff.

...

Alexis had a new-found hatred for Dolores Umbridge that grew as she got ready for bed. She hadn't known her before, but anyone who kept talking on and on for that long was a horrible person. And, from her speech, it sounded as if the Ministry was interfering in Hogwarts.

And, well, she respected Dumbledore and trusted him, but maybe they did need to interfere if he believed that nonsense Harry Nutter was coming out with.

But, she did trust Dumbledore. It was all too complicated.

Speaking of which, she had a meeting with him before Breakfast in the morning. Just a "routine checkup" as he called it , maybe she could ask him what was up with this "You-know-Who" nonesense. Maybe he was just trying to protect the boy until he came to his senses.

Whatever it was, she would find out the truth. And maybe this year, she could find out more about her origins.

She sat on her bed and snuggled into the green and silver sheets and blankets. A good nights sleep ought to help her figure things out.

" Night Naudia."

" Night Alex, sweet dreams."

Just as Alexis felt herself drift into dreamland, a sharp, hot knife penetrated her left shouler. She sprang up,but found no knife, only the horrible pain. She gulped and felt her shoulder with her hand. It was warm, as if sunburned.

" It can't be. He said they had taken care of it." She mumbled. Naudia moaned and rolled over. Alexis felt sick and lied down again, but didn't fall asleep for several hours.

...

Her shoulder was still sore when she woke up that morning. After getting dressed, she searched her pockets for the usual note. There it was, in his own handwriting. Just like every year.

She wasn't the only one up. A few other's liked an early start in the day, but no one asked where she was going. They never did.

She came to Dumbledore's office and spoke the password. " Ginger snaps." The great gargoyle moved and she ascended the staircase.

" Proffesor? I am on time, aren't I?" She said as she entered, though she knew she was exactly on time.

" As always, Alexis. Please have a seat." Dumbledore said. He sat behind his desk and adjusted his half-moon spectacles. She sat and folded her hands neartly on her lap. This time she would ask for sure. But first, the pain had to be told of...in a moment.

" So, how was your summer? Tell me about it." He asked conversationally. She couldn't deny it made her feel special that he wanted to hear about her life. Even if he did believe Harry Nutter, he did, at least, care about her.

" Well, I did more research for Dad on the smooth grass snake. He wants to have his book ready by the end of the month. And, well, I found a very interesting creature near my house."

" Oh, what was it?"

" Well, h-he is a snake, but he is oddest thing. He has, well, magic. He can apparate and cause himself to grow and shrink. He said he felt a strange call to come to my "territory" as it were, but he was glad of it because we do have an access of rats and field mice down south. Do you think it could have been me he felt? "

Dumbledore stroked his beard in thought. " I'm afraid I'm not sure. So, how does your new friend like Hogwarts so far?"

" What new friend?" Alexis replied to quickly. She sighed. " Well...yes...I brought him...but really, he isn't venomous and I needed more time to research him..."

" And that's why you brought him with you in your robes?"

Alexis titled her head. Of course she wouldn't do something so stupid!

" Ah, I see, He stowed away...and is about to cause damage to a bowl of my favortie treats I'm afraid." He said with an amused smile. Alexis looked behind her to see a long brown snake with beautiful green makrings slither around the glass bowl, causing it to tip dangerously. She ran over and scooped him up.

" William! I thought I told you to stay in the room!" She scolded him in parseltounge. He shrugged (the snake way, by rolling the head to the side.)

" I got bored. Besides, the Naudia human snores too loudly." He responded before apparting again.

"William has a bit of an attitude." She said with a nervous smile. " I'm sure he's back in the room now, under my bed." _Hopefully. _" Please don't make me send him away, I really really like his company. And he is quite useful and good at hiding."

" I am assuming that William has apparated home, and you _will_ not find accomdations for him with Hagrid, and I _will_ not be telling Hagrid to find a nice place for him." He said with a twinkle in his eye. He walked over and gave her a pat on the shouler, causing her to wince.

" Sore shoulder?" He asked, concern in his eyes. She nodded.

'" It's that wierd pain again, not a pulled muscle or anything. It's like I have a sunburn in just one spot and a knife wound." She said as she rubbed her shoulder. " I don't know what it is or where it came from...but dad does." She looked into his pericing blue eyes, frowning. " I know you do to. Why can't I know to?"

" You will know, when your ready." He said quietly, taking his seat behind the desk once more. " It's nearly time for breakfast, I wouldn't want you to miss it. I believe creamed eggs is on the menu today."

Alexis nodded and took her leave with a quick "thanks." Somehow, she seemed to leave with more questions than she had before every-time she left Dumbledore's office.

" Oh, and Alexis."

" Yes sir?"

" The Hufflepuff's boy's name is Darius Goodwin. " He said with a wink. She smiled widely in spite of herself and left, now twice as eager to get to breakfast.


	3. Chapter 3: Opportunity and Despair

Life's a Riddle

Summary: Only three people in the world know Alexis Taylor's real lineage , and that's her, her adopted muggle father,and Dumbledore. She has four successful years of lying low under her belt. Things are going well...until loony Potter claims that the Dark Lord is back.

Chapter Three: Opportunity and Despair

(Three weeks after Chapter two)

"Of all the infuriating, horrible things... "Alexis wanted to explode with rage. One her of favorite classes absolutely ruined by the Ministry, and more specifically, Umbridge!

" Student's may not speak unless spoken too or acknowledged after raising their hand." Umbridge announced with that nasty toad-like smile on her fat face. It was bad enough she looked ugly, but she was dressed in a hideous, fluffy pink outfit.

Alexis wanted to raise her hand all right, a hand gesture. There was no experience gathered from a curriculum such as this. It was all lines and repetition. How was she supposed to receive an "O" in defense against the dark arts on her Owl's now?

_It's not all bad, maybe I can find a book in the library and can practice in the girls bathroom. Of course, if I get into a row with Moaning Myrtle she may tell on me. _She sighed, defeated and all was silent. Until Harry Potter, of all people, spoke up. Honestly that Gryffindor didn't know when to keep his mouth shut.

" But we need to be prepared for what's out there!" He cried angrily.

" And who would harm children such as yourselves?" Umbridge asked with a gentle yet demeaning chuckle.

" Oh I don't know, maybe Lord Voldermort?" He replied sharply. Alexis rolled her eyes. Honestly, what kind of idiot wanted to get into so much trouble just for some attention? _Unless, of course he's telling the truth _

Umbridge quickly silenced him almost as fast as Alexis silenced that treacherous thought. Of course he wasn't being truthful, it couldn't be. Of course, he had slayed the Basilisk ( she was glad of that, that horrible voice kept her up at night all second year.) And Dumbledore believed him, and the same people who said Harry was daft said Dumbledore was dangerous and loony.

She shook her head of these thoughts and began reading the inane textbook again. That ought to empty her mind if anything would.

...

Next she had Divinations with Hufflepuff. And she was late. She ran as fast as she could, she had used up her free hour to take care of William. Hagrid was away but he was sent a message, and so she spent forty-five minutes trying to find Willy and the next fifteen putting him in a secure area near Hagrid's house.

_"But I don't want to be here, I want to ssstay with you!"_

_" Shush it. Honestly, you are the most disagreeable snake I have ever encountered. Just stay in this general area and I will come visit you, 'kay? "_

_" Promissse?"_

_" Cross my heart and hope to die. Now, please stay!"_

Hopefully he had obeyed her. Finally she made it into class and nearly choked on the thick perfume smell in the air.

" Ah, Miss Taylor, I predicted your lateness, don't fret, this is your first offense. It won't be your last. In January you shall be late for many things." Proffesor Trewlany cooed.

" Right." Alexis said with a nod and walked to a table, her usual one already being occupied. She sat down and looked for her Divinations book...only to see she had forgotten it in her haste.

" Oh bother, what else will go wrong?"

" Forget your book?"

That voice. She looked up slowly, her heart poudning. That smile, that hair, those eyes. Darius Goodwin. What luck! She needed to say something cute, but intelligent. She opened her mouth.

" IguesssocanIborrowyours-hiccup!" She threw a hand over her mouth and felt her face turn cherry red. He nodded sympathetically and opened up his book to the proper place.

" I'm Darius, um, Goodwin, by the way. Hufflepuff. You are?"

" er..I-um.. Alex.*Ahem* Alexis Taylor. Slytherin. I don't know what's gotten into me. I never forget my books." She said with a nervous smile. A bad start, but maybe she could redeem the conversation. " S-so um, what's the lesson about today?"

" Oh, just how the planets affect our lives and such nonesense." He said with that glorious smile. She nodded.

" Yes. Complete dung. But, I guess we got to make the grade, er, so to speak." She said, more peppy that she had been in months. Perhaps she was overdoing it. Or under-doing it?

" Uh-oh, looks like I'm going to be in trouble...with a toad?" He looked at the book quizzically. " Must have got it wrong."

" Unless it's talking about Umbridge." The insult slipped out before she could stop it. To her relief he chortled and held back a guffaw.

" Bloody brilliant. I can't believe she doesn't believe that You-Know-Who is back! Harry may be a kid like us, but Dumbledore is totally trustworthy, don't you think?" He looked at her eagerly, his brown eyes looking into her own heavy-lidded blue.

What now? Love or reason? Or a sneaky compromise, perhaps?

" I think only an idiot wouldn't trust Dumbledore." She responded.

He smiled widely, obviously very happy. " Finally, someone else who believes. And Slytherin too...n-not not that I mean to sterotype or anything-"

" Either you speak from the Beyond or your do your work, Mr. Goodwin."

" Sorry, just excited about the trail of Uranus." He said with a perfectly somber face. Snickers carried throughout the classroom, but Trewlany continued on unaware.

He winked at Alexis and continued studying the planets. Alexis sighed and rested her head on her hand, stealing a glance at him whenever she could risk it. Yep, this was definitely the guy of her dreams.

And it wasn't really a lie, after all. He just happened to believe the implication that through trusting Dumbledore she believed Harry Potter. And she was against the Ministry for it's slander against her mentor and it's interference in the school.

Just as she justified her deception, she felt a slip of parchemt fly into her pocket. She looked up at Darius. He tilted his head towards her robe. Could it be? A note from Darius?

With trembling hands she slowly withdrew it, and opened it. she gasped in order to hold in a girlish queal of delight.

" Do Lunch Today?My Table?"

She looked up at him and nodded slowly.

...

Alexis sighed dreamily as she revised her rough draft potions essay on the effects of several hard-to-pronounce potions ingredients. As a Slytherin with good marks in potions, her favorite greasy proffessor often turned a blind eye to off-topic work, and today's potion had passed with flying colors early in the class,She was glad that she had bothered to practice ahead on all of the potions in next years potions book over the summer.

And next was lunchtime, and no multi-tasking today! Dear Darius was all hers now.

Now, if she could just...

" Ahck!" She tried to cover the reaction to the sudden pain as a cough, and just in time. That odd, horrible pain

" Class is dismissed, all potions not turned in will receive an immediate failing grade."

The next few moments were a painful blur, as if the red-hot pain was traveling up her shoulder and into her eyes. She ran as fast as she could to her common room, into the dorms and slammed the door to the bathroom behind her.

She ripped her shirt and robes off and twisted her neck to look at the scar. It was shaped like an S and glowing red-hot like a poker, and felt like it too. She wiped tears off her face, trying work through the pain.

Then she saw her eyes.

She lost it then.

" AAAHEEE!"


End file.
